They Don't Understand Me
by A Derpy King Boo
Summary: As the day comes to an end in Canterlot, Luna faces the emotions that drove her to darkness once more. While asking Celestia for some assistance, Luna and those emotions are separated, with some unfortunate events occurring along the way. What exactly happens? Read if you want to know! R&R please.
1. Chapter 1

They Don't Understand Me

"Let's go, Luna. It's time to lower the Sun and raise the Moon."

Luna heard her sister, Celestia, calling from the other room and got up almost instantaneously. The rising of the Moon was her favorite part of the day, not only because it signified the night, but because it meant that she could paint the quiet night sky with the stars and other astrological signs.

Luna walked outside into the warm, breezy evening sky, the time where just about half the sky was lit. She walked up to her sister and looked up to her, smiling.

"Are you ready, Luna?" Celestia asked.

"As ready as ever." Luna replied.

"So," continued Celestia, "let's finish the day, together."

Luna beamed with delight as her and her sister took their places to start the royal lowering of the Sun. Using their unicorn powers, Luna and Celestia began lowering the Sun and raising the Moon. Once the Moon was risen, Luna had started her favorite part of the day.

"Wonderful, my dear sister." Celestia praised, referring to her starry night sky.

"Thank you, my dear sister." Luna responded.

Luna continued to paint the starry nighttime sky just a bit longer. By the time she was finished, the sky was full of twinkling, sparkling, and rare stars, with comets dashing and bouncing through from time to time. It was hard work shaping and painting the nighttime sky with these wondrous stars and signs but it was definitely worth the work.

Luna beamed with delight, praising herself for a job well done with the nighttime sky tonight. However, when she gazed down upon all the tired, weary subjects, she felt agony; disappointment for their ignoring of her hard work as each and every one of them headed on home after a hard day of work.

It wasn't their fault, but Luna felt that no one appreciated her hard work. Everyone headed home and, once they did get home, flickered off the lights, signifying their journey to Dream Land. Luna was hurt by all this and finally broke down into tears after years of bottling them up. She flew back to her room as quickly and quietly as possible, not wanting to speak to anyone else. She flew through the window and had shut both the window and the door to her room, locking them both in the process. Luna was alone with her thoughts, whom often times, showcased themselves to the general public. They were sudden bursts of emotion and Luna always apologized for them showing themselves. She had a hard time controlling her emotions, dating all the way back to even before she was banished to the Moon for becoming Nightmare Moon.

Celestia told Luna one day after she had asked her older sister why she lost control over herself and her emotions took over that Nightmare Moon was a sign to everyone that constantly bottling up your emotions can do some damage to the host of said emotions. Celestia also told her that she knew that Nightmare Moon was an accident that never meant to happen and that she had only banished her to the Moon to calm herself down.

The emotions that broke out Nightmare Moon always show themselves and try to persuade Luna into picking up where she left off so long ago but they never succeed.

Luna had quietly fallen onto her bed and stared up at the ceilling of her room, trying her best not to make any sound for she knew that, at even the slightest peep, her older sister would come into the room and ask her what was the matter. She never minded Celestia's concern but this time, she just wanted to be alone with her thoughts.

"They don't understand me." Luna unknowingly spoke.

"Why wouldn't they understand you?" The voice inside Luna's head answered back. "To them, you're nothing but another pony. You live in the shadow of _Celestia_ all the time. Nopony knows who you are compared to Celestia!"

"You're right, I do live in my sister's shadow." Luna responded. "But I don't mind it, if it means ruling alongside her. I just wish that everypony knew who I was rather than 'Nightmare Moon' or 'The other Princess of Equestria.'"

"But you never will be known as 'Princess Luna.' Only when something happens to Celestia will you be known as that."

"But I would never dream, rather even THINK about doing anything to my beloved older sister!" Luna answered, raising her voice a little bit.

"Unless you do, you will never be known! You'll either be known as 'Nightmare Moon' or 'The other Princess.'"

"Why am I listening to you?" Luna questioned herself. "You understand me less than they do!"

"But I am the only one who listens and converses with you!"

"Stop it!" Luna snapped, switching to the Royal Canterlot voice. "If you don't stop, I'll-"

"You'll what?" The voices challenged.

Luna didn't know how to answer since she couldn't do anything to herself. If she did, she'd likely end up hurting herself even more.

"I thought so!" The voices concluded.

Luna flipped over, face first into her pillow, and screamed into it, hoping that her screams would scare the voices. Luna heard hoofsteps coming from outside her room and looked up. The hoofsteps stopped just beyond the large door that separated Luna's room from the hallway.

"Luna?" A voice asked, knocking on the door. "Are you alright?"

Luna knew that the voice belonged to none other than her older sister, Celestia. Wiping her tears from her eyes, she rose up from her bed and made her way towards the door. She sighed then began opening the door, revealing her older sister in the limelight.

"May I come in, my dear sister?" Celestia quietly asked.

Luna nodded her head slowly and stood back while Celestia proceeded into the room. She then closed the door and locked it, knowing quite well that the guards would eventually come in if this went on for a while. She really wanted her privacy this time around. Both princesses proceeded to Luna's bed. Luna sat near the end of the bed, with Celestia sitting right next to her younger sister.

"What's the matter, Luna?" Celestia calmly and quietly asked. "What has you feeling down?"

Luna stared into her older sister's lavender eyes. Sighing, she proceeded to answer her question.

"Do you think that, hypothetically speaking, say if I were to disappear would they take notice to it?" Luna asked.

Celestia looked at her younger sister oddly. "Why do you say that? Of course they would take notice! Why, nopony else raises and lowers the Moon besides you. Plus, you are the Princess of the Night, thus it is your duty to enter everypony's dreams."

Luna looked down at the ground. "But do you think they understand me like you do?"

Celestia wrapped a hoof around her younger sister's neck. "Luna, nopony can understand you the way I do, but that doesn't mean that they don't understand you. I'm sure that if you gave them time and spent time with them, they would grow to appreciate you like they do with me."

"May I ask you something else, my dear sister?" Luna politely asked.

"Anything for you, Luna." Celestia answered.

"Can you help me rid of the voices inside my head?" Luna continued. "They're driving me insane, trying to corrupt me once more."

"Sure, Luna." Celestia responded as the yellow aura of her magic colored around her horn. She touched horns with Luna's dark horn, and Luna's eyes began to glow a bright white. Luna began floating in mid-air as wind started picking up inside her room.

The yellow aura reminiscing around Celestia's horn faded and Luna fell back down onto her bed, her eyes the normal teal color they were. Celestia leaned towards her sister's head, touching it, then placing her hoof around Luna once more.

"There, there, little sister." Celestia quietly assured. "Those voices should be gone now."

"Thank you, my dear sister." Luna replied.

"You're very welcome, Luna." Celestia answered. "Now get some sleep. You've had a long day today."

"I will." Luna responded as Celestia proceeded out the room. "Goodnight, my dear sister."

"Goodnight, Princess Luna." Celestia said as she closed the door behind her.

Luna then turned the light to her room off and laid down in her bed. Looking out the window at the position of the Moon, she concluded that it had to be around midnight. Closing her eyes, Luna fell soundly asleep almost instantly. Little did Luna know that the voices that were once inside her head had escaped and had re-shaped themselves into an exact replica of Nightmare Moon!

"Heheheh!" Nightmare Moon chuckled. "You thought you could get rid of us? Well, you thought wrong!"

And with that, Nightmare Moon had grabbed the sleeping Luna with her new unicorn magic and had flown out the window into the starry nighttime sky to a faraway place.


	2. Chapter 2

(Part 2)

"Luna? It's time to lower the Moon."

Princess Celestia knocked on the large door that led into Luna's room. When Luna didn't answer after a while, she opened the door herself and noticed that the covers on Luna's bed engulfed it, leaving a large, pony-shaped carving in the middle of it. Celestia quietly walked up to her younger sister's bed and spoke as gently as possible to her.

"Little sis," she started, "it's time to lower the Moon. Wake up."

There was still no answer so Celestia gently tugged away the sheets of the bed, revealing that the Princess of the Night was not there! Startled, Celestia jumped back and called for the guard.

"Your Highness!" The guard asked upon arriving in Luna's room. "Is everything alright?"

Celestia looked at the guard and pointed towards Luna's empty bed. "Where is Princess Luna?"

"I don't know, Your Majesty." The guard answered back. "There was no noise coming from the room last night; maybe Princess Luna went out for a quick flight."

Celestia didn't trust the guard, Port Transit, and his answer. "Show me the security footage from last night."

"As you wish, Your Majesty." Port answered.

He then proceeded out the room with Celestia and headed towards the security room, where you could see everything happening in the Canterlot Castle, all at once.

"What do you think happened to the Princess?" Port asked Celestia.

"I don't know, Port." Celestia responded. "But I sure hope it wasn't anything bad."

"That makes two of us, Your Highness."

They arrived at the security room shortly afterwards and took a peek at the footage of Luna's room from last night. When the tape said 4:27 a.m., a dark figure appeared behind Luna, grabbing her and flew out the window.

"Can you tell who that is?" Celestia asked Port.

"No, Your Highness," Port replied, "the room is too dark to tell who that is."

"Switch over to the outside camera," Celestia requested, "the one looking over the Canterlot Sculpture Garden."

"As you wish." Port said, obeying the request that was just given to him.

The cameras switched and this time, the time was 4:28 a.m. This angle showed a pony flying out of Luna's room, carrying Luna with their two front hooves. The light shining off from the Moon was just enough to reveal who exactly this pony was.

"Nightmare Moon?" Celestia questioned.

"It appears so, Your Majesty." Port concluded.

"How can that be Nightmare Moon if Luna's the one being carried away?" Celestia said.

"I don't know," Port answered, "but Nightmare Moon is the one who took Princess Luna last night."

Celestia looked away from the screen then turned towards Port, who had began walking away from the screens in order to return to his duties.

"I want you and Flash Sentry to go get Twilight Sparkle and her friends and bring them here immediately." Celestia ordered. "It's imperative that they be here as soon as possible."

"Done and done." Port said, rushing to find Flash and head on out to get Twilight and her friends.

_Oh, Luna, _Celestia thought to herself, _I hope you're alright._

* * *

_THUD! THUD! THUD!_

"I'm coming!" Twilight answered. It was still night outside and the clock next to Twilight's nightstand read 6:42 a.m. It should be lit outside, but the day was as dark as ever.

_THUD! THUD! THUD!_

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Twilight said, growing crosser at the impatience being given by whoever was at her doorstep. She walked down the stairs from her bedroom and worked her way over towards the door. She was tired and weary since she was never used to getting up this early in the morning, especially on a Tuesday.

Finally, Twilight had reached her front door. Concentrating on where the door knob was, she grabbed a hold of it. Twisting and pulling the door towards her, Twilight noticed two members of the Royal Guard were in her presence.

"What can I do for you, sirs?" Twilight tiredly asked.

"Princess Celestia requests your presence immediately in Canterlot, along with your friends." Port told Twilight.

"Is anything the matter?" Twilight curiously responded.

Flash looked away while answering Twilight. "Princess Luna has been taken away."

"By who?"

"By Nightmare Moon." Port finished.

Twilight stepped back, surprised by the name just spoken. "I'm sorry. It sounded like you just said 'Nightmare Moon.' But how can Luna be taken if Nightmare Moon originally was her?"

"That's what Princess Celestia wishes to discuss with you." Flash answered back.

"We must get going." Port suggested. "All your other friends are all ready to go in the chariot."

"But, of course." Twilight answered as she shut the door to her home.

"We'll have one of the other guards come and keep a watchful eye over your dragon." Port told Twilight while boarding the chariot to Canterlot.

"Thank you, kindly." Twilight replied.

And with that said, Twilight and the others left Ponyville, hoping to find some answers as to how Luna disappeared with Nightmare Moon.


	3. Chapter 3

The long, inevitable journey to the Canterlot Castle was uneventful as Twilight peered her head over the side of the chariot to see the landscape way down below her.

"Why are we being asked to come to Canterlot anyway?" Rainbow Dash asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Ah must say," continued Applejack, "Ah'm a bit mustered by this as well. How come we gots to go there? Did somethin' happen?"

Twilight dragged her head from the side of the chariot over to face her friends. Sighing, she gazed upon them and proceeded to answer their questions. "Flash Sentry and Port Transit told me that Luna was taken late in the night."

"What!?" Pinkie Pie screeched.

"What abomination could've done such a inhumane thing like that?" Rarity questioned.

Twilight looked at the fashionista straight in her eyes and told her, without any trace of emotion, "Nightmare Moon."

"Wait a minute!" Applejack replied. "Lemme get this straight: Princess Luna was taken by Nightmare Moon?"

Twilight turned her head towards the hardworking farmer and nodded slowly.

"But how is that possible?" Fluttershy asked.

"I thought Nightmare Moon 'was' Luna." Rainbow Dash added.

"She is, err, was." Twilight answered.

"So how could she take herself?" Pinkie Pie asked.

Twilight shrugged. "Beats me, but according to them, that's what happened and that's why the Sun isn't up yet."

"I thought so." Rainbow Dash concluded, referring to the everlasting night.

"Here we are!" Port Transit called out.

"Canterlot Castle!" Flash Sentry added. "Allow us to escort you into the throne room so that you may speak with the Princess."

"Thank you, again, sirs." Twilight said as they started making their way into the castle. They've been here plenty of times before but it always seemed bigger on the inside than what it actually was.

It didn't take long to reach the throne room but once they did, Twilight and her friends proceeded inside while the other guards left, closing and locking the large double-wide doors behind them. Celestia was inside along with her niece, Princess Cadence, and Twilight's brother, Prince Shining Armor. Celestia rose from her throne and met Twilight halfway.

"I want to thank you for coming here on such short notice." Celestia started.

"Our pleasure, Princess." Twilight answered.

"I'm sure, by now you've all been wondering why I've gathered you here today."

"We know," Twilight continued, "it's about your sister's disappearance."

Celestia nodded. "And do you know who took her?"

Twilight nodded back. "Nightmare Moon."

"Very good, Twilight." Celestia praised her most faithful student.

"It just doesn't make any sense!" Rainbow Dash said. "How could Nightmare Moon take Princess Luna? They're the same pony, for pony's sake!"

"I may have a theory." Celestia replied.

"What do you mean?" Shining Armor asked.

"Earlier," Celestia continued, "Luna asked me to rid some voices that were lodged inside her head. Upon doing so, I managed to free those voices that were bothering her and banish them, at least that's what I though I did."

"Maybe those voices took the shape of Nightmare Moon!" Cadence suggested.

"It seems unrealistic, but that's what I believe as well." Celestia said. "Luna did tell me that those voices were trying to convince her into becoming Nightmare Moon once more."

"So how do we stop them?" Twilight asked curiously.

"We have to find Nightmare Moon first." Celestia answered. "Only then can we track Luna and attempt to get rid of Nightmare Moon once and for all."

"Should I retrieve the Elements of Harmony then?" Twilight asked.

"Yes." Celestia said. "In the mean time,

Princess Cadence and I will search for Nightmare Moon and Luna along with Shining Armor. We'll contact you as soon as we can if and when we find them."

"Sounds like a plan." Twilight replied, hustling out of the throne room with her friends in order to receive the Elements.

"I sure hope she's alright." Cadence told Celestia.

"That makes two of us then." Celestia responded.


	4. Chapter 4

Twilight bursted through her front door in an effort to search and obtain the beloved and all powerful Elements of Harmony.

"There they are!" She shouted, picking each of the Elements up with her magic.

"Let's hurry up and go!" Rainbow Dash impatiently answered.

"Where do we go though?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"What place do we check first?" Fluttershy added.

"Well," continued Twilight, "Princess Celestia told me that she'd check over by the Crystal Empire and Manehattan. So, why don't we go check Fillydelphia and Las Pegasus?"

"Sounds like a plan." Everypony agreed.

"Let's go, then." Twilight replied as the group started making their way out towards the chariot.

"Where to, malady?" Port asked.

"Fillydelphia, please, sirs." Twilight answered.

"As you wish."

The two Pegasus attached themselves to the Royal Chariot and started making their way towards Fillydelphia. The ride was fairly short but long enough to prepare a plan and map out who goes where.

"Rainbow Dash, you take the eastern portion of the city." Twilight requested.

"Done."

"Pinkie Pie," Twilight continued, "you and Applejack take the northern portion of the city."

"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie said.

"Yeehaw!"

"Rarity, you and Fluttershy will search the western side."

"As long as it doesn't involve my hooves getting dirty, consider it done." Rarity replied.

"Ok, Twilight." Fluttershy quietly responded.

"As for myself, I'll take the southern portion of the city." Twilight finished.

"Where should we meet up?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"We'll meet back up in the center of the city." Twilight answered as the chariot began its decent into the center of town. Once the chariot touched down, everypony scattered towards their respective areas. Twilight, who was the last to leave the chariot, searched up and down the southern streets of Fillydelphia.

_Nowhere to be seen…_ She thought to herself. _Wonder if the girls are having better luck than me._

* * *

Everypony gathered around the chariot some time later, Twilight being the last to show up.

"Any of you had any luck?" She asked.

Everypony shook their head no, signifying that Nightmare Moon wasn't here with Luna.

"Alright, then." Twilight continued. She then boarded the chariot along with her friends, requesting that they head on over to Las Pegasus.

"As you wish." Port answered, immediately taking Twilight and her friends to the hustle and bustle of the busy city of Las Pegasus.

Flying there wasn't a hassle. Actually, it was quite relaxing, seeing how the wind was going with them this time, rather than going against them the first time. Along the way, however, Twilight felt a bothering pain in her horn. When this happens, which only happened one other time, it meant that her brother, Shining Armor, was trying to communicate with her.

"Twily," Shining Armor spoke, "we've located Nightmare Moon!"

"Where is she?" Twilight asked. "Is Luna with her?"

"Yeah, that's where the bad news starts." Shining Armor dreadfully replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Nightmare Moon has been here in Canterlot all along!" Shining Armor answered. "And to top it all off, she overpowered all of us and threw us into the dungeons! Every member of the Royal Guard is here, along with Cadence, myself, and Celestia!"

"Are you all okay?" Twilight responded.

"We're just fine." Shining Armor said. "We need you to get here as quickly as possible!"

"We're on our way." Twilight assured, turning to face the guards pulling the chariot. "Can you redirect us to Canterlot, sirs? Nightmare Moon has been spotted."

"As you wish, madam." Port answered, motioning Flash to turn the chariot to the left.

"What was that all about?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Nightmare Moon has been spotted!" Twilight answered.

"Where is she?" Applejack said.

"She's back in Canterlot." Twilight told the hardworking farmer.


	5. Chapter 5

Bursting through the doors, the little purple unicorn, whom was accompanied by her friends, creeped up towards the large, ominous looking alicorn.

"Who are you?" The purple unicorn asked.

"I am the spirit of Nightmare Moon!" The alicorn answered. "I've been trapped inside Luna's head for over a thousand years and I've waited all my life to finally be free from that frail pony you call Princess! It was I who brought Nightmare Moon back the first time, only to be stopped by you meddling ponies! But, let's let bygones be bygones! Accept me as ruler of Equestria, and I'll let you rule by my side! Together, we will be unstoppable!"

"We'd never accept you as our ruler!" The purple unicorn replied.

"What? Am I not royal enough for you anymore? Is it because I'm neither living nor dead? Or is it because I've taken the form of this?"

"None of those reasons is why we don't accept you!" The light blue Pegasus answered.

"Then why is it?" Nightmare Moon asked.

"It's because Celestia is our ruler; not you!" The white unicorn shouted.

"And just how do you think you'll stop me?" Nightmare Moon challenged.

"With these!" The purple unicorn answered. "The Elements of Harmony!"

"Do you really think that those little gems will be enough to defeat me?" Nightmare Moon questioned.

"They will defeat you Nightmare Moon." The purple unicorn assured.

The six ponies then took their usual formation, with all Elements activating at the same time. With the final Element, the Element of Magic, finally activated, a spiraled rainbow shot out from all six ponies and reigned down on top of Nightmare Moon. The six ponies collapsed to the ground after the spiral ceased.

"Is it all over?" A pale yellow Pegasus asked.

"Not even close!" Nightmare Moon answered, magically transporting the six ponies to the dungeons within the Canterlot Castle.

* * *

"Twily!"

"Twilight!"

Twilight opened her eyes slowly after her battle with the spirit of Nightmare Moon ended in defeat.

"What happened?" Twilight grunted, coughing in the process.

"Why didn't they work?"

"I don't understand, Rainbow Dash." Twilight answered.

"It's because that's not a true pony." Celestia said, emerging from the shadows that were lodged in the corner of the dungeon.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, that what you battled was a spirit of the real thing, Rarity." Celestia answered.

"Is that what happened to you?"

"Unfortunately, Fluttershy." Cadence answered.

"So how do we defeat that...that thing?"

"There's only one way to defeat that spirit, Pinkie Pie." Celestia said, turning away towards the corner of the dungeon.

"What are you looking at, Princess?" Twilight asked, being cautious in the process.

"The only way to defeat the spirit is for me to take it back in." A voice called out. "Trap it from where it once was."

"Who's there?" Twilight asked.

"It is I, Princess Luna!" She said as she emerged from the menacing shadows of the dungeon.

"Luna!" Twilight gasped. "Are you okay?"

"Just fine, Twilight Sparkle!" Luna assured.

"Now how do we escape from these dungeons?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"You leave that to me!" Luna responded, planting her hooves firmly on the ground around her.

* * *

"Well, I've successfully done what that frail pony couldn't do all those years ago! I've brought nighttime eternal!"

Nightmare Moon was praising herself for successfully bringing eternal night to all of Equestria and was enjoying herself just fine as she sat atop her throne, which technically was Celestia's throne. All of a sudden, the doors to the throne room bursted open, and before Nightmare Moon stood Luna, followed by Twilight and her friends, Cadence, Shining Armor, and her older sister, Princess Celestia.

"What!?" Nightmare Moon gasped. "How did you escape from those dungeons?"

"It was quite easy!" Luna answered. "Those are only metal bars, which is nothing when you have six ponies working together by using their magic in order to move them."

Nightmare Moon scoffed, "So I guess your friends and even your dear sister will get to witness you perish right here and now!"

"I'm afraid it's the other way around!" Luna assured.

Nightmare Moon scoffed once more and charged towards Luna. Luna made no attempt to move as Nightmare Moon came closer towards her. With Nightmare Moon only a horn's length away from Luna, she used her unicorn powers to stop Nightmare Moon in her tracks.

"Use the Elements again!" Luna commanded Twilight.

Twilight nodded, then proceeded formation as the Elements began charging once more. Quickly, the Elements charged up once more and another spiraled rainbow reigned down on both Nightmare Moon and Luna!

"You shall become one with me once more!" Luna screamed as the spiraled rainbow drew them closer.

"NO! I CAN'T! I WON'T!" Nightmare Moon roared.

"You can and you will!" Luna hollered, becoming fully encased in the spiral rainbow.

* * *

The rainbow had ceased and, collapsed on the ground, was Princess Luna.

"Did it work?" Twilight cautiously asked.

"It did, Twilight Sparkle." Luna assured.

"Where's Nightmare Moon?" Rainbow Dash questioned.

"Her spirit resides inside me once more." Luna answered the light blue Pegasus.

"Are you going to be alright, knowing that the spirit of Nightmare Moon is once more a part of you?" Celestia asked her younger sister.

Luna smiled at her sister. "It may be a part if me once more, but that doesn't mean that I'll become that ever again."

"Or does it?" The voices inside Luna quietly rang.


End file.
